Officer Bruce didn’t scare him with some horrible example.
He simply said, “You don’t use emergency services to win an argument, buddy.”
Tyler nodded.
“If your mom says no ice cream tomorrow, do you call us?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Tyler sighed with the exhaustion of a man paying taxes.
“Because ice cream isn’t an emergency.”
“Good.”
“Because ice cream isn’t an emergency.”
Then Officer Bruce looked at me, walked back to the doorway, and pointed toward the kitchen.
“Finish making dinner.”
I frowned. “Sorry?”
He looked at Tyler.
“Your mom said ice cream comes after dinner. That rule still stands.”
Tyler’s face fell.
“That rule still stands.”
Officer Bruce added, “But I think he called because he doesn’t believe you’re going to have any afterward.”
I looked toward the kitchen, but I couldn’t think of an answer that didn’t sound like another excuse.
